Man Sentenced to 100 Years for Shooting at Immigration Center; Others Face Years Behind Bars
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
A group of eight individuals found guilty of terrorism related to the July 4, 2025 shooting at the ICE Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, has been sentenced. The organizer, Benjamin Song, who could have received a minimum sentence of 20 years or life in prison, was sentenced to 100 years. Prosecutors stated that Song, a former U.S. Marine reservist, shouted 'Get the rifles!' and opened fire, hitting a police officer who had just arrived at the center. Although Song fired the shots, other protesters were charged with attempted murder of an officer and firearm offenses but were acquitted. The prosecution argued that the group's planning made a shooting foreseeable. Maricela Rueda received a 70-year sentence, while Savanna Batten, Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Meagan Morris, and Elizabeth Soto were sentenced to 600 months (approximately 50 years). Daniel Estrada was convicted of illegally concealing documents and conspiracy to conceal documents, receiving a 30-year sentence. In total, nine defendants were tried, with eight facing charges for providing material support to terrorists, among other offenses. The sentencing hearing took place this Tuesday in a federal court in Fort Worth. The hearing for the ninth defendant was rescheduled for next week, where they could receive a sentence of 10 to 60 years. Federal prosecutors maintain that the group aimed to attack the facilities to disrupt immigration and deportation operations. They will be sentenced for their involvement in riots, obstruction, and attempted murder. An Alvarado police officer was shot but survived. Prosecutors labeled the case as 'domestic terrorism,' describing the violence as a planned attack by Antifa activists; however, the defendants' attorneys rejected this characterization, arguing there were no links to Antifa and that it was merely a protest with fireworks that escalated into gunfire. This decentralized far-left movement has become a target of the Trump administration. Kash Patel, FBI Director, noted that this case marked the first time charges for providing material support to terrorists were brought against individuals accused of being part of Antifa. The terrorism charges followed an order issued by Trump last fall to designate Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. Such charges did not require proving a link to any specific organization, and there is no national equivalent to the State Department's list of foreign terrorist organizations, partly because organizations operating within the United States are protected by the broad guarantees of the First Amendment. Critics of the case brought by the Department of Justice have pointed out that the outcome could have significant repercussions for protests. ON THE NIGHT OF JULY 4, 2025 The group brought fireworks and caused property damage to vehicles and a guard booth; at least one person was armed. According to the group's attorneys, it was a protest against immigration crackdowns. The defense argued that most protesters began to disperse when two guards from the center came outside, just before the gunfire began. The trial lasted 12 days last March, featuring testimony from over 45 witnesses and hundreds of pieces of evidence, culminating in a guilty verdict from the jury. The proceedings were closely monitored by legal experts and critics, who viewed it as a test of how far the government can go to sanction protesters. The officer who was shot, Alvarado Police Lieutenant Thomas Gross, testified that upon arriving at the scene, he saw a person dressed entirely in black, with a covered face and carrying a rifle. He told the jury that he was shot by a bullet that entered through his shoulder and exited through his neck. Song's attorney, Phillip Hayes, argued to the jury during closing arguments that there was no call to arms before Gross arrived and drew his weapon 'aggressively.' Hayes suggested that Song's shots constituted 'suppressive fire' and that the officer was hit by a ricochet. Before the trial, several individuals pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists after being accused of supporting the Antifa movement. They face sentences of up to 15 years in prison at the time of sentencing. Some testified for the prosecution, including Seth Sikes, who claimed he went to the detention center to bring some joy to the people held there. Associated Press reporter Jim Vertuno contributed from Austin, Texas.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
